Ensign, Nov. 2007 - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

taught the meaning of cutting off our
hand. It’s not about self-mutilation but
rather about removing from our lives
today those influences that keep us
from preparing for tomorrow’s earthquakes.
If I have friends who are bad
influences for me, the advice is clear:
“It is better for thee to enter into life
without thy brother, than for thee
and thy brother to be cast into hell”
(Joseph Smith Translation, Mark 9:41).
The Lord applied this same principle
when warning Nephi to depart from
his brethren who became a dangerous
influence (see 2 Nephi 5:5).
It follows that such cutting off
refers not only to friends but to every
bad influence, such as inappropriate
television shows, Internet sites,
movies, literature, games, or music.
Engraving in our souls this principle
will help us to resist the temptation to
yield to any bad influence.
Enhancing our exposure to doctrine
and its principles will make us
priesthood holders with deep-rooted
gospel values. We will be better prepared
to face the tremors that will
come without warning, when least
expected. As priesthood holders, we
will feel the promise made to the
prophet Jeremiah extended to us:
“For, behold, I have made thee this
day a defenced city, and an iron pillar,
and brasen walls against the whole
land” (Jeremiah 1:18).
Then we’ll be able to express
our gratitude as did Sister Linda
Cruzado in Ica. After spending all
night exposed to the elements, she
wrote, “At daybreak the next day, our
Heavenly Father showed His love
through a warm sun that came up
very early, and at night He comforted
us with a very starry night.”
Today is our time to be valiant and
decide to give our souls a serious,
profound exposure to our Savior’s
teachings. I know that He lives, and
after we do all we can, He will make
up the difference. I so testify in the
name of Jesus Christ, amen. ■
God Helps
the Faithful
Priesthood Holder
PRESIDENT HENRY B. EYRING
Second Counselor in the First Presidency
The message may come in words to your mind
or in a feeling or both. But it will . . . give you assurance
and guidance in what you must do.
Tonight my thoughts are about
a boy somewhere in the world.
He is wondering if he can do
what being a priesthood holder will
require of him. I had that worry when
I was about 13 or 14.
I had grown up in the mission field
where there was only a tiny branch,
which met in my home. Then my family
moved to where there were stakes
and large wards and chapels and quorums
of boys who all seemed to know
so much more than I did about what
priesthood holders do. They had in
that ward a complicated pattern for
passing the sacrament. I felt almost
certain that I would make a mistake
when my turn to pass or prepare the
sacrament came.
In my fear and desperation, I
remember going outside the chapel
to be alone. I was worried. I prayed
for help and for some assurance that
I would not fail in serving God in His
priesthood.
It is now many years later. I have
held the Melchizedek Priesthood for
more than 50 years. But in the last
few days I have prayed with that same
pleading for help and assurance that I
will not fail in the call which has come
to me to serve in the First Presidency.
Others seem so much more able to
serve and so much better prepared.
But as I prayed this time I think I
could feel an answer that was probably
sent to me outside the Yalecrest
Ward chapel long ago. It is the same
answer you can expect to get when
you face a call to serve in the priesthood
which seems beyond you.
The message may come in words
to your mind or in a feeling or both.
But it will include at least three things
to give you assurance and guidance in
NOVEMBER 2007 55